Combined pocket handkerchief and support



July 27, 1965 c. R. ERHARDT COMBINED POCKET HANDKERCHIEF AND SUPPORT Filed Dec. 2, 1963 CARROLL R. ERHARDT ,4 TTORNEVS United States Patent 3,196,461 COMBINED POCKET HANDKERCHIEF AND SUPPORT Carroll R. Erhardt, 1717 California Ave, Bakersfield, Caiif. Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 327,459 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-279) This invention relates to a combined pocket handkerchief and support therefor particularly adapted for prefabrication and distribution as a haberdashery unit.

Contemporary male attire normally includes jackets tailored for business, casual, or sports wear. Such jackets usually provide breast pockets in which handkerchiefs frequently are worn with portions thereof projecting from the pockets. The handkerchiefs are normally of any suitable decorative cloth.

As fashions have changed from time to time, such pocket handkerchiefs have been folded in many different ways in order to present the desired projecting ends in viewable positions. Some wearers prefer a square folded end, while others prefer a plurality of pointed ends arranged in a predetermined pattern. A universal problem is that properly folding the handkerchief so that a predetermined portion projects from the pocket.

While fabricators of such jackets have adopted a substantially uniform depth dimension for the breast pockets, manufacturing tolerances and differences of material and tailoring styles frequently result in minor variations. Accordingly, persons desiring to wear a pocket handkerchief also encounter a problem of interchangeability of the handkerchief, from one jacket to another and difficulty in maintaining the handkerchief at a desired position of projection.

In addition, such handkerchiefs readily become soiled and require frequent laundering and/or replacement. Ineither case, the problem of proper folding to achieve desired positioning in the jacket pocket is presented to the wearer. Therefore, a need has existed for a prefabricated pocket handkerchief incorporating a support which can be readily inserted into the breast pocket of a jacket and which requires no folding to accommodate various pocket sizes and shapes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated combined pocket handkerchief and support.

Another object is to provide such a pocket handkerchief and support which is readily adaptable to jacket pockets of varying depths.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pocket handkerchief and support in which the viewable portion is readily detached for laundering and/or replacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined prefabricated handkerchief and support which lends itself to distribution and sale through conventional automatic vending machines.

These, together with other objects, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a contemporary jacket having a breast pocket in which is Worn a combined pocket handkerchief and support as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the support of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation of the invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a prespective view of the handkerchief of the invention of FIG. 1.

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FIG. 5 is a prespective view of a second form of the handkerchief of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view in longitudinal vertical section showing a further form of handkerchief used in the present invention.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, a combined pocket handkerchief and support embodying the present invention is illustrated at 10 disposed in a breast pocket 11 of a jacket 12. Normally, such pockets are of a predetermined standard depth, however, slight variations may occur due to manufacturing tolerances, individual tailoring practices, and different types of clothing material. Within a reasonable range of variation, the depth of such pockets is considered substantially uniform between dilferent jackets.

A substantially flat support 20 of any suitable sheet material of sufficient rigidity to provide desired longitudinal stiffness is provided which includes a central body portion 21 having a longitudinal axis 22 intermediate a pair of laterally opposed edges 23. The support also preferably provides a tapered lower entry end 24 and an open upper end 25. The longitudinal extent and transverse dimensions of the support 29 are such as to permit ready insertion into and concealment within the breast pocket 11.

The upper end 25 of the support 20 provides a plurality of longitudinally spaced, laterally opposed inwardly extended fingers 30. Each of the fingers affords an inner end 31, and in conjunction with adjacent fingers, defines substantially uniform intervgls of spacing 32.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, a handkerchief member 35 provides a lower end 36 having a transversely extended passageway or socket 37 adapted to receive, in detachable engagement, a pair of the fingers 30. The handkerchief member 35 also affords laterally opposed edges 38 and an opposite upper end 39. At least the end 39 is provided with a surface configuration simulative of a conventional fabric handkerchief, such as those woven from cotton, linen, silk, or the like. Ideally, the handkerchief member 35 is fabricated from a flexible material so as to facilitate insertion of the fingers 30 within the transverse passageway or socket 37. To minimize soiling, and to afford ease of replacement and/or laundering, the member 35 lends itself to fabrication from opaque thermoplastic materials, such as polyethylene and the like, which also permits surface configuration simulative of a woven fabric.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the handkerchief member 35 is of a configuration affording an upper end 39 adapted for projection from the breast pocket and substantially identical to the exposed square end of a fabric handkerchief. Other configurations are readily permitted, such as the form shown in FIG. 5, wherein the handkerchief member 35 is provided with an upper end 390 having deeply indented serrations so as to be substantially identical to the closely gathered corners of a fabric handkerchief. If desired, the entire member 35 can be formed of a woven fabric. Since the member 35 is readily detached from the fingers 30, ease of laundering and replacement is permitted.

FIG. 6 shows a further form of the handkerchief member utilizing an elongated flexible member of fabric or the like. The member 135 is also suited for use with the support 20 when in the form of a conventional pocket handkerchief folded into a narrow elongated band. The band is then threaded through the intervals of spacing 32 intermediate the fingers 30 and trained about the lower end 24. Accordingly, appropriate adjustment of the elongated member 135 longitudinally of the support 20 permits a range of selective lengths of projection abovethe pocket 11.

In all forms of the invention, the semi-rigid support 20.

insures a maintenance of the exposed end 39 of the as sociated handkerchief at a selected position. While certain forms of the invention permit prefabrication of the handkerchiefmember 35 in a diminutive forr'nso. as to;

minimize laundering, the invention also contemplates utilization of an elongated narrowband1135, such as -a' folded pocket handkerchief. In all forms, the invention.

permits utilization of prefabricating and packaging techniques to lend itself to'distribution by way of automatic vending machines.

I The invention also contemplates the fabrication of the' handkerchief members 35 and'135in a variety of colors. {the construction of the support 20, particularly the.

spaced disposition of the fingers 30, permits a readyre moval and interchange of such handkerchief members. 7 Accordingly, in the event of a color mismatch between a given jacket and handkerchief, the' s upport 20 accommodates-a change of the handkerchief to one of matching or complementary color. Similarly, soiled handkerchiefs are readily removed from the support 20 and replaced with a freshly laundered or a newhandker'chief in the form of either of the members 35 and 135.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived 'to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the'scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of-the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. 7 s 7 Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. 'A combined pocket handkerchief and support cornprising a substantially flat elongatedsupport adapted for insertion and concealment, in abreast pocket of "a'jac'ket, the support having opposite side edges, '21 lower entry end and an'upper attachment end, and a pair of laterally pposedelongat'ed attachment fingers inwardly oppositely extended from said attachment end of the support;and a handkerchief member having oppositeends and extended between laterally opposed'edges, one of said ends hav-' ing means receiving said fingers in detachable engagement therewith, and theother of said ends having a woven fabric appearance and spaced a predetermined distance.

V 2 f4 from said oneend to project from said pocket simulative of a conventional fabric'pocket handkerchief.

V 2'. A combined pocket handkerchief'and support comprising a'subst'antially fiat elongated support adapted for insertion and concealment in a breast pocket of a jacket, the support having opposite edges, a lower entry end and an upper attachment end, and a pair of laterally opposed elongated attachment fingers inwardly oppositely eX- tended from said attachment end of the support; and a flexible handkerchief member of a material having, an appearance of Wovenffabric and providing laterally opposed edges and opposite ends spaced at a predetermined distance, one of saidends being formed with a transversely extendedsocket detachably receiving said fingers thereby to support said flexible member in a position with the other of said ends projecting from the pocket.

3; A combined prefabricated handkerchief andsupport comprising a substantially flat rigid support havinga central body portion affording a longitudinal axis intermediate laterally opposed edges and a tapered entry end spaced at a predetermined distance from an upper end, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, laterally opposed inwa'rdly extended pairs of fingersyprojectingfrom said upper, end; and a handkerchief member having opposite ends, one of said ends being provided with attachment means, saidttachment, means being in selective engages ment with one of said pairs offing'ers.

4.,The combined prefabricated handkerchief and support of' claim 3 wherein said handkerchief member is laterally extended between opposed edges and wherein said attachment means comprises a lower end having a transversely extended socket detachably receiving a pair of said fingers, and an upper end spaced at a distance from said lower end' sufficient to. project from said pocket.

YJVORYDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED POCKET HANDKERCHIEF AND SUPPORT COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ELONGATED SUPPORT ADAPTED FOR INSERTION AND CONCEALMENT IN A BREAST POCKET OF A JACKET, THE SUPPORT HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES, A LOWER ENTRY END AND AN UPPER ATTACHMENT END, AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY OPPOSED ELONGATED ATTACHMENT FINGERS INWARDY OPPOSITELY EXTENDED FROM SAID ATTACHMENT END OF THE SUPPORT; AND A HANDKERCHIEF MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS AND EXTENDED BETWEEN LATERALLY OPPOSED EDGES, ONE OF SAID ENDS HAVING MEANS RECEIVING SAID FINGERS IN DETACHABLE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, AND THE OTHER OF SAID ENDS HAVING A WOVEN FABRIC APPEARANCE AND SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID ONE END TO PROCKET FROM SAID POCKET SIMULATIVE OF A CONVENTIONAL FABRIC POCKET HANDKERCHIEF. 